Getting Married on a Cruise Ship

First let me congratulate you for being so smart as to leave your wedding planning to someone else and the fun to yourselves.

Now, let's get some misconceptions out of the way first. You won't be married by the captain at the bow of the boat while the ship sails along. These things aren't allowed in real life. The Captain is busy driving the ship so don't bother him about your wedding. The only exception to that is on the Grand Princess and Star Princess where the Captain can marry you but not at the front of the ship.

Otherwise you will be married by a non-denominational minister before the ship leaves port or while at one of the destinations your ship goes to.

If you are married before the ship leaves the embarkation port (where you got on) the wedding will take place a couple hours before departure so that the muster drill will not interfere with your reception. You will be allowed to invite guests that are not sailing on that cruise and they will be given a day pass but obviously are escorted off before sail away-no stow-aways allowed!

Your wedding may take place in the ship's chapel-many have these now.

chapel on Carnival Spirit

Or one of the public rooms ie library etc. Your wedding will not take place up on deck-some fire safety regulations prohibit this. As an aside I would like to point out that these regulations do not prevent 3000 people from being on deck when the ship sails away but you in your small dress and 5 guests are a hazard. Go figure.

If you choose a destination wedding let the cruise line staff arrange this for you. Itineraries are often changed at the last minute (one time I was actually lined up to get off my ship in half moon cay when it was decided we couldn't stop there and would be having a sea day instead ) so if they change itinerary they will rearrange another place for you to marry.

Carnival cruise line has several wedding packages to choose from.

On the cheap

Take the cheapest wedding package available but ask to be married on whatever day is formal day and about two hours before dinner that way you can have lobster etc for your reception in the dining room but at no extra charge . You'll still have time for photos because the formal shots are taken before and after dinner time.

[ Back ]